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MDG5500AWW Maytag Dryer - Instructions

All installation instructions for MDG5500AWW parts

These instructions have been submitted by other PartSelect customers and can help guide you through the dryer repair with useful information like difficulty of repair, length of repair, tools needed, and more.

PartSelect showed seven different possibilities why the dryer wouldn't heat. I removed the two screws to remove the bottom panel and turned the dryer on and noticed that the heating element that ignites the gas was working fine. This meant that it was not getting gas so it could be the gas valve or one of the two gas valve coils which are located on top of the gas valve. I borrowed my neighbor"s ohm meter and touched the two probes on the coils terminals to check for continuity and found that one of the coils read zero. I then took both of the coils out by removing two screws and tested each coil again. One coil read 500-850 and the other read zero. This meant that it was no good so I called for the part and received it in three days. I reassembled the parts and turned the dryer on and it fired up after a few seconds. It works as good as new. The part plus shipping was less than $30. My repairman would have charged me $150-$200. While the dryer was apart I gave it a good cleaning with a vacuum and a toothbrush in delicate areas. I also removed and cleaned the lint trap housing by removing two nuts. I didn't know much about gas dryers, but thanks to PartSelect I easily fixed it myself.

If everything else is working ( tumbler and timer ) except for the heating. Your first bet would be checking your flat style igniter. Mine was cracked, something that I wouldnt have seen unless I had taken it off. Because of the crack no current was being passing through, therefore the igniter wasnt heating to its amber color. Since there wasnt any current the gas valve was doing its job by not allowing any gas to blow out. Dont worry about turning the gas off just disconnect your elecrical outlet. Remove whole front dryer panel by taking 2 front bottom screws out (philip screw driver). Dont pull to hard because there are two wires connected to the panel and dryer that you will have to disconnect. When you get to the igniter disconnect wire plug and use your socket set to loosen the single srew on the igniter, gently wiggle it out by just handling the white ceramic part of the piece, and replace new one in. Just remember to be careful since the dark part of the igniter that heats up is real brittle.

From the first time the motor buzzed (but dryer tumbler then started to turn), 2 weeks elapsed for the dryer drum to stop turning altogether. If this occurs, DO NOT continue to push the start button because the motor armature wiring will heat up and the insulation will begin to melt and smell - a SAFETY HAZARD. Unplug dryer and lockout/tagout as appropriate.

Through basic troubleshooting, discovered the motor had seized up. Since the unit was about 10 years old and it had to be disassembled for replacement, the decision was made to replace "likely to fail mechanical components including motor, belt, both rear drum rollers/shafts, idler arm pulley/assembly/wheel, associated washers, snap rings and both front glides. Reviewed the PartSelect website and drawings, ordered the parts and they delivered on time. Buy the correct sized snap rings at a local hardware, they're much less expensive. Also once inside your dryer, you'll likely find alot of lint to vacuum out...have fun.

I went online and Googled several resources that showed how to remove the front dryer panels, as well as PartSelect repair stories. From that point on, I took photos as I was disassembling so I would know how to put it back together. Utilize pictures or whatever system you prefer to keep track of taking something apart and putting it back together.

Remove the dryer door, then the front panel Disconnect wires to the light, dryness sensor and door switch. Note belt and pulley configuration that is near the motor-this will help you later when reinstalling the belt. Also note if the ribbed side or the flat side of the belt is against the outer drum wall. Remove the door shroud.

Slip the belt off the idler pulley wheel. Remove front drum support, then dryer drum Note which end of the dryer drum is the front and the orientation of the glides on the drum support. Discard old belt. Drill out and remove the old front glide supports, then install/rivet the new glides.

Remove both old rear drum rollers/shafts, washers, etc. The rear drum roller shafts are secured to a back bracket by a hex nut....feel around you'll figure it out. Replace new roller shafts. Lightly grease using a high quality silicon grease, then replace new washers, roller, snap ring, etc

Carefully unplug wiring harness on motor, there are fragile clips on each end. Don't forget a separate ground wire from the harness is attached to the motor mount bracket. Carefully release tension on the idler arm spring. Using the correct size nut driver, remove three screws (on this model) then take out the motor/idler arm assembly. Remove the old idler arm/pulley assembly. Remove the motor mount clips on each end of the mount (I used a wide blade screwdriver). Remove and replace the motor. Motor configurations changed after Whirlpool bought Maytag, so orient it correctly insuring mounting gasket "nubs" on each end of the motor correspond to the cutouts on the motor mount. Reinstall the motor mount clips. Replace the new idler arm assembly/pulley wheel; grease moving parts with high quality wheel bearing grease. Replace motor/mount bracket assembly back into the dryer. Replace ground wire to motor mount bracket and plug wiring harness back in. Reinstall idler arm spring.

Place belt back on the dryer drum and move into place on rear rollers. Reinstall front drum support. Dryer drum should turn relatively easy. Insure belt is oriented on the drum correctly before connecting belt to motor shaft end and idler arm wheel pulley (the picture you took comes in handy here).

Timer wasn't working on the regular cycle so I replace it with a new one from partselect. It still wasn't working so I ordered and replace the cycling thermostat, the thermal fuse I also cleaned the vent and dryer it still didn't work so I read the diagram for the electrical and found that a coil for the gas valve is line with timer. I ordered the coils for the valves, replaced both valves and tested the dryer and it work just like when I first bought the appliance.

Dryer flame goes out after about 8-minutes from start and won’t work again until a 15-minute rest.

There was no problem with lint build-up within the dryer & the exhaust vent. I removed the gas cycling thermostat & thermal fuse from system & dryer still was not operating correctly. The radiant sensor & hi-limit thermostat both seemed to be operating correctly. That left either of the two coils as the culprits. I replaced both coils & the problem was corrected.

Extended drying time. Some but not enough heat. Burner would light for 15-18 seconds at first then shut off for 1-3 minutes then light for 3-6 seconds and repeat for the length of the cycle.

Determining the problem was the hardest part. With multiple parts (coils,thermostats...)possibly causing similar symptoms, I narrowed it down to the two coil valves.Un plug the dryer. Remove two screws at the base of the front panel. Turn the front panel 180 degrees to avoid disconnecting the door switch. Gas valve with coils on top are on the right in front. Remove two screws in bracket holding coils, disconnect the wires, replace with new coils and reconnect wires. One coil has 2 terminals the other has 3 no chance of crossing the wires. I used an offset/right angle screw driver for one of the bracket screws due to close proximity to the drum. A stubby phillips head will work. You can check the burner operation with the front panel off as long as the door switch is still attached. Swing the front panel around and lift back into place securing with the two screws. Dryer works fine now.

I removed the two screws holding the front panel to expose the lower works and verified the heating cycle failure. After a check of the vent system, checking the sensors for continuity and coils for resistance, I retired to the 'net for support. Accepting the general consensus that the most frequent, common and likely failure to be the coils, I rechecked them with the meter and found the two pronged coil to have significantly more resistance than the three prong coil. That was enough evidence to point to the coils. While I waited for the part to arrive, I replace the vent ducting. When the parts arrived I removed the two Phillips screws holding the coils, removed the old ones, installed the new ones, replaced the bracket, put the front cover back on and in less then ten minutes clothes where drying.

catch mounted on door broke

The door had always opened with the wrong swing and it wasn't til I needed to repair this that I noticed you could change the swing. I changed the swing of the door and then noticed that the clip was included on both sides so i did not need to repair the catch. I still have the part so when it breaks again, I can just pop it in.

I noticed that the igniter would glow white hot for about 5 to 10 seconds, but would only ignite every once in a while. I decided that it was probably the gas valve that was bad. I removed the wires to the igniter and valve, and removed the two screws that secured the valve to the frame. I accidentally bumped the igniter as I removed the valve from the dryer - it broke! The igniter is extremely delicate, be careful not to touch it. When the new valve and igniter came in, I swapped some of the mounting hardware and installed the valve and igniter. I reattached the wires. The dryer fired up immediately - it was an easy fix.

1 Unplug power.2. Remove the front of the unit by removing the two screws at the bottom of the front panel. Front dryer panel will swing out from the bottom and then the clips will release the top of the panel, careful not to disconnect the dryer door switch. ( can be unplugged to remove the front panel out of the way.)3. Looking inside the unit on the right side you will see the gas value. On top of the gas unit you will see two small coils the coil closest to the burner has two leads on it. Remove the two screws to get to the coils, remove the medal plate, remove the connector then lift off the secondary coil. Replace and test. You can test unit with the front panel off. (be careful). If no heat, check that the Flat Style igniter is glowing. (ohm out both coils) before ordering parts. Intermittent heat problems. I replaced the secondary coil, it did ohm out o:k but it had swollen and was very tight on the shaft.

Switch sticking in on position

FIRST unplug dryer from electrical source, CAUTION, the top of this dryer does not open with clips, do not pry on top to open! On the front of the dryer look under the lower panel, and find two screws, one on the left side, and one on the right, remove these screws, and pull slightly down on panel to remove. Behind this panel find two screws holding the door panel, one on the left, and one on the right, remove the left, and support the door panel while removing the right side. Gently pull the bottom of door panel outward, and the clips on top of door panel will unhinge from top, carefully rotate left side of door panel to floor, and note the wire connections on switch, and orientation of switch, then unplug wires, and move door panel to a comfortable working positon. Door must be open to remove switch, then depress the two plastic retaining keepers on each side of switch, and push switch through toward door. Replace with new switch, reconnect the wires, and reassymble in reverse order. Remember, door assymbly must be inserted in dryer top at an angle, and then bottom rotated downward, and bottom panel nylon guildes inserted into door panel bottom.